Terbium Carbazolate: Synthesis with Terbium Nanoparticles, Structure, and Luminescence

Zerovalent Terbium metal nanoparticles are prepared in the liquid phase by reduction of TbCl 3 with lithium naphthalenide ([LiNaph]) in THF. The as‐prepared Tb(0) nanoparticles are monocrystalline with small and uniform size of 2.8 ± 0.4 nm. Although the deep black Tb(0) nanoparticle suspension is colloidally and chemically stable in THF under inert conditions, it shows high reactivity when in contact with O 2 , H 2 O, or other oxidizing agents. The high reactivity can be used to react Tb(0) nanoparticles with carbazole (cbzH) as a sterically demanding N–H‐acidic amine. As a result, Terbium carbazolate with a composition [Tb(cbz) 3 (THF) 2 ](cbzH)(C 7 H 8 ) ( 1 ) is obtained upon oxidation of Terbium and formation of H 2 . Herein, Tb 3+ is coordinated by three deprotonated, negatively charged (cbz) – ligands and two molecules of THF. Already in daylight, 1 shows Tb 3+ ‐driven emission of green light with cbz serving as an antenna for excitation. The Tb(0) nanoparticles and the Terbium carbazolate 1 are characterized by transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, crystal‐structure analysis, and photoluminescence spectroscopy.